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This year has been one out of the box..we lost our darling old pup..we are losing the other..we have spent months going from vet office to busting a gut outside in preparation for our Daughters wedding..throw in a nose operation the septic throwing a fit things breaking down breaking up or just breaking bad! as we rounded the finish line to the wedding hubby on his way to work at 4.30 hit and killed a joey that came out in front of my new car..poor Joey died instantly Hubby was fine..car ..well it’s been written off..the day after that our daughter called to say her sweet inside kitty Sherriff had gotten out and not come home..thankfully he did after a couple of restless nights.

The few markets i could attend have been pretty dismal..the weather so bad we cancelled several..it has certainly put a dent in my enthusiasm to say the least..investment versus reward..in the negative. I will be seeing how the markets go over the next few months but i think if it is a case of me basically not even covering my costs at the minimum then i am done, i will just keep going long enough to cover the contract of my eft machine as really financially it is costing me.

The time i have spent out taking pictures this year is minimal..i feel like with all that has happened i have lost a year..no canola trips ,mountain trips, nothing i enjoy.

Apart from a brief trip overseas and our daughters wedding the whole year has been pretty horrid.

I will not even go to the sadness that has befallen so many of my dear friends..sadness that weighs heavily in my heart.

So that is a brief explanation for my lack of blogging..even as i type this i have done no Christmas cards..have all manner of paperwork for market that i really am over ,need to get prints replaced and have let Doc out three times for a peemail.

I have the vet AGAIN this afternoon…so i leave you all with these pictures.

But like purple in these images has now all but gone from the landscape..so shall my Purple Patch..

I had a bad day yesterday..and despite the sunshine and the warm air i was in no mood to do anything..not even take shots..

I did the grocery shopping ..well physically i did , mentally i was elsewhere..came home unpacked and was making a coffee.

I was looking out the window at the sun and how it was highlighting the Golden Wattles and the how it showed the earth still dry and brown in our yard..Winter having next to no rain..and as i was daydreaming i spotted our first Stumpy tail lizard for the season.

They are amazing creatures, can live to 50 or more and partner for life..so this one must have had a friend close by.

We already have started the outside banning of the kitties…we knew with the heat comes trouble!

So i had to grab my camera..now he had disappeared when i looked back out.see he was heading to our front yard but we have snake meshed it..poor dude.

A real fallacy is that with these lizards around you will not have snakes..well we had a family of five last year and had our second snake bite! they both enjoy the same environment and foods..yes a large Stumpy tail or Blue tongue lizard will eat small snakes but this means they are in the same place.

Anyway as i walked out i saw along the side fence a huge Stumpy tail..must have gotten in where we have not finished…i ushered it into the garden and hope it finds it’s way out..or we will have to pop it over the fence..

Then i spotted a third! so off i went ..he was near the recently cleared embankment out the front..so i took some shots while lying on the ground and hoping a snake was not close by!

I let him go off and do his thing,headed to the dam area and gave a few roos a start..they took off so i continued to the dam..

Well i had the beejeebers scared out ff me when this big boy stood up! he must have been snoozing and out of sight..we had a bit of a tense ‘what the’ moment before i walked away from him and he then felt safe to hop off.

I went and sat under a tree and as i was feeling cruddy i just took a snap of my view..the tranquil roos in the bottom paddock settling for the early evening..the sun going..a window to tranquility..i had a cry ..a good cry..hubby came home and down to the tree,he took my hand helped blubbering me up gave me a hug and told me we would be fine..just fine..and i believe him.

A handsome dude maybe 16 inches long..waking up to Spring

Goodness me everything here is sticking it’s tongue out !

Roos make a hasty retreat after i startle them

Now it was my turn to be startled..notice the do not mess with me claws

Yesterday was beautiful..too nice to be home on the computer..so off i went dragging hubby along…well not really we love going off on jaunts!

I had been to these places a few weeks ago in my 260 kilometre search for inspiration..well to say a few weeks makes a difference is an understatement!

We have had some rain..not a lot but some and it seems that the fields all over our state are saying thankyou..what a sight to drive and drive and see nothing but gold and green..far and wide..sun shining down..sky blue..puffy white clouds..a gorgeous day for the eyes and the spirit.

Add to this a lunch break at a country bakery with great food and coffee and i am one happy girl.

And now the pictures hubby took yesterday may make some sense.

Enjoy the Canola..as it turns it’s blooms to the sky and show’s the beauty of our farming landscape.

Hi everyone..thankyou so much for all the beautiful birthday wishes and cards on Facebook and here..thankyou all for making an old gal feel very special indeed..i will share my cards with you all later this week..and i want to also say i am so happy and relieved that Easy’s Dad Mark is home and on the mend..and that i still send my love to my little sister Lisa as she mourns the loss of her gorgeous doggie Skii at the age of 13..it has been a sad few days and hence the reason i did not post on my birthday…

Today i want to talk about aging..i am not worried to say i am 54..i am lucky i have made this journey so far when so many do not..

I have earnt every wrinkle..every stretch mark..i know my butt is no longer where it used to be..even my knees now look oddly different..but i have walked many miles..i have seen and done many things and i have no worries in saying i am no longer 26..

There is a beauty that comes with age..a patina that only lifes experiences can leave..the good and the bad have a profound effect on us..both physically and spiritually.

But what a boring canvas we would be without those layers of life emblazoned across us ..yes being younger we have a youthful glow..but aging gives a mellowness that has it’s own glow..born of many paths travelled.

So i thought today i would share some of those travels..i travelled a lot over the week..in fact in one day i racked up 260 kilometres..

I found some old things that had their own gorgeous patina..and also some new things full of the glow of youth..none of these were people..but landscapes and buildings..also able to age and weather and show beauty as they do…

Hi guys..my lack of blogging has been due to lots of burning off in preparation for Summer..many of you know the conditions we get and sadly it must be done.

It was great for the pups to go free range as it were in the lower paddock with us as in Summer this is not allowed..snakes making it too dangerous.

So while the boys sniffed and played we burnt..we got a good bit done but much more needs doing.

We took off Sunday afternoon and i was so excited to get my early birthday present from Hubby..my new Nikon D7200..

Well after spending all Monday trying to work out the autofocus functions i nearly lost my tiny mind..i read that manual i googled that info i tried every thing i could think of…by 5.30pm i had had enough..i caved ..i rang the Nikon help line..she went through it with me and nothing..so we did a reset..push this and that together..ta da..nothing changed.so the Nikon lady who was really super helpful said it must be a hardware issue..so off i went today with my camera back to the shop..

Imagine my utter shock when the nice dude took it out asked me where certain buttons were..explained he knew not much about it..and then turned it on and voila!

I did mutter some rather colourful words and he laughed..i could not believe it..seems maybe one button i was pushing was stuck because he did nothing different to me…urghhhhh..so i got to bring my baby home..phew..

So between the work outside..a crook tummy which is now fine and spending all my time trying to work this camera out i have been awol.

This afternoon i went out with my new camera to see what i could find..i am being very basic with the shots as i learn my way around what is clearly a much different camera..i have to say i am super impressed so far with the quality…

So i am off to bed..it’s late and i am super tired..but i leave you with some tentative shots taken today of our beautiful countryside..Winter is throwing some really gorgeous moody skies our way and the contrasting fields of green which will soon be brown make for some really lovely days out..

Seems Mother Nature has forgotten Spring…as beautiful as Spring is i have found this extended Winter brings it’s own beauty..

A mere 15 minutes away from home and i can find a reason to be thankful ..i can stop on a road and capture the glorious landscape..

I can breathe in the cool fresh air..see the clouds and mist gently envelope the mountainside and feel free..

It has been brought to my attention..thankgoodness..by my friend from MELBOURNE Leanne Cole that indeed we have winter until first of September..no idea why i got it in my head it was Spring..i was sure i heard somewhere it was…Holiday ..STAT! 🙂

Hi guys..well it seems i have not really had time to do much apart from computer stuff..so i though it well overdue to take my new car out with me for some picture hunting.

I have called my new man…Newman..and so far i am in love with him!

I am still getting used to not being as high off the road and so when i go to get out a few times i have looked like a drunk giraffe..all legs!

I must look like a right idiot too when cars pull alongside me as i have a stupid grin…it’s the seat warmers..oh boy toasted buns anyone!

And i have never had leather interiors so i feel a bit posh..but trust me i am still wearing boots and ready to jump a fence at any given moment.

I took Newman to Harcourt…just up the road ..to park outside the Bress winery there as the vines have that Autumnal colour that i love and the sky was gorgeous..blue and cloudy…perfect…

Of course it is never that simple with me..after taking some shots i got back in and took off..it’s 100kph here..and what do i see .. a dog.. crossing towards the other side..brakes on and off the road..

I call the dog carefully as it seemed to want to come to me..no chance..it sauntered UP the highway..now i am frantic..i see a car coming..i am running the dogs running..now on angle, and i am waving the car to slow down…did he..no..the dog has gotten across the road now slipped under the barrier and headed to a farm house..clearly knew his way and clearly has found home again..

Meanwhile..my car is a long way from me..the engine is running..the camera my bag everything inside and the door open.

I walk back gesticulating at the ute driver and calling him every thing under the sun..i mean who keeps driving !!

I really wonder at the way some farmers have a cavalier approach to their dogs..the ‘she’ll be right ‘ attitude that many countries find endearing of our nation i actually find damn annoying.

So full of fury i get back in Newman and we head in the opposite direction to Bendigo.

There are a few side roads off the highway that i always wonder at what lies beyond..seriously one day i am going to end up in No mans land!

There is a house on a hill and the big barn has had half the roof blown off..it sits so perfectly atop that hill..in Summer it has a lovely peaceful feeling and in Winter it has a very almost gothic feel..it sits where the clouds always give it a fantastic appearance no matter what mood they are in.and by the time i got to here the skies were turning.

I am a super cautious driver, i like to know where i am going and how i am getting there so for a first trip up here i was scoping really for parking spots to take advantage of this scene..bear in mind in the country some folks do not like weird middle aged women with huge lenses and snappy cars parked out the front.

I would never show an address i am also aware that is pretty much a no go for a lot of folk..despite Google Earth being able to show me shaving my legs on a summer day in the back yard with my hair in rollers and a tragic pair of bathers on.

So up i went ..the road soon became dirt .. of course, ..new clean car..and found a spot..the pics i took were the back view of the house setting ,quite a bit back and therefore not what i see from the highway, but i have found a good spot to perch myself for a front shot next time i head that way.

So that was my date with Newman..happy with what i got and my buns got toasted as well..